Cottage restoration & mud brick studio, Wairarapa

Restoration of the classic Chapman-Taylor cottage “Ehuma”, built in 1933 in South Wairarapa. Stage 1 works consist of restoring the cottage back to its original glory. This includes dismantling a non-sympathetic addition as well internal works and the reinstatement of an original dormer.

The cottage has plenty of character and some noteworthy features include; hand-adzed jarrah structural members, doors and built in furniture, steel joinery with traditional glazing bars, cute little niches, rustic plastered walls and cozy and intimate spaces in the two storey plan.

Stage 2 involves construction of a sympathetic mud brick studio adjacent the cottage. The studio will have a 45 degree roof pitch to match the cottage and it will have a wrap around verandah to protect the adobe walls from the driving rain. The front of the studio will have a gabled verandah extension to accomodate sheltered outdoor entertaining. This portion of the roof will be framed by a heavy structural timber truss. The rest of the verandah will be framed in heavy timber members to compliment the structural jarrah used in the cottage. The internal floor will be adobe and beneath the verandah will be flagstone paving.